2 Fully-funded PhD studentships to work with Dr Lina Dencik on the ERC Starting Grant project DATAJUSTICE at Cardiff’s School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies.

The project DATAJUSTICE explores the meaning of social justice in an age of datafication.

It is premised on two significant developments:

1. the shift to a focus on the collection and processing of massive amounts of data across social life
2. the increasing concern with the societal implications of such processes.

Whilst initial concern with the technical ability to ‘datafy’ and collect information on ever-more social activity focused on surveillance and privacy, increasing emphasis is being placed on the fact that data processes are not ‘flat’ and do not implicate everyone in the same way, but, rather, are part of a system of ‘social sorting’, creating new categories of citizens, and premised on an emerging order of ‘have’ and ‘have nots’ between data profilers and data subjects. In such a context, questions of social justice and datafication require detailed study. This project frames this research agenda around the notion of ‘data justice’.

The project will focus on developments in Europe and will combine the study of technical systems with the study of practices, experiences and policy frameworks in different contexts. It is principally concerned with examining the impacts of datafication on marginalized communities and implications for social and economic rights.

Projects should particularly engage with developments in Europe concerning data systems and algorithmic decision-making in relation to one or a combination of the following areas:

• governance of refugees and migrants
• hiring and management of low-wage work
• discrimination in law enforcement and policing.

European Research Council (ERC) studentships are highly competitive. You should hold a 1st or strong upper 2nd class Master’s or equivalent degree in one of the following disciplines: sociology, media and communication, politics, international relations, development studies, criminology, industrial relations.

Experience working with social justice issues and marginalized communities will also be considered, and applicants with such backgrounds are especially encouraged to apply.

Deadline for applications: October 20th, 2017

Interview date: November 8th, 2017

Start date: February 1st, 2018

Apply here: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/funding-and-fees/view/erc-phd-in-journalism-studies-data-justice-understanding-datafication-in-relation-to-social-justice-datajustice